Pre-Assessment

Each student carries with them a spark in their eye of curiosity to the class. In order to get a good grasp of our students, we, as educators, must consider what each student brings to the classroom and be able to reflect that level of expectation. This is especially pertinent when considering the culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Each educator should consider the following things for pre-assessing.

- Sociocultural/acculturation biography

- First language biography

- Second language biography

- Schooling/academic knowledge biography

"After pre-assessing the biographies of [our] CLD students, effective teachers reflect on the ways in which [we] can modify [our] instruction to better accommodate the needs and assets these students bring to the classroom" (Herrera & Murry, 2011, p 90). We must not forget that just because a student is not fluent in a second language, doesn't mean they don't understand the content in the class as well. Pre-assessing will give us a better handle of what we can teach and how to differentiate the class in order to best teach all the students in the class.

A non-invasive, non-threatening way to pre-assess for prior knowledge and get a sense of their "sociocultural realities (Herrera & Murry, 2011)" is to begin the class with a personal report, or 'Me Report,' that can be used as an introduction to the class and each other. The teacher can give a few questions that would be relevant for introductions that would also be a good way to assess their home situation and their stage in their acculturation journey, according to Cushner, McClelland, and Stafford's U-Curve Hypothesis (Herrera & Murry, 2011). For example, they could draw a picture of their hometown and use one detail that was unique to the town. Or, they could talk about what the family eats for dinner every night and what their favorite meal is. These would be seemingly simple activities that would give clues to the CLD students background in an unobtrusive manner.

One thing I think would work great are home visits (Herrera & Murry, 2011). This method doesn't work in my situation since I teach in Korea and this is not a noticeably acceptable practice, but I can have "teacher-student conversations (Herrera & Murry, 2011)," which I utilize frequently.

All of these strategies would work for any student because even students that are not CLD students would benefit from a teacher that engages fully into the lives and backgrounds of the students to better teach each student. CLD students have unique challenges, but these methods would still work to differentiate learning among students with the same sociocultural background, but with different learning styles or personalities. Click the button below for another example of a classroom's pre-assessing methods.

"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see." (Martin Luther King jr.)

Woman on the Bus

A woman looks at her phone on a bus in downtown Seoul, 2015

Seoul Protest 2015

People from around 120 unions and groups organized the protests on Saturday, December 5th, that saw thousands marching through downtown Seoul. Many people carried signs that said roughly "listen to the people" as they feel the current government is not working for the people but for the Chaebol (large corporations).

Mask Dance

Thousands took to the streets to protest several government plans in Seoul on Saturday, December 5th. They were told not to wear masks because of the "threat of ISIS". The protesters responded by wearing thousands of masks, some dancing traditional samulnori along the way.

Shoulder View

Getting a better view of the traditional Korean dancing at the Bupyeong Festival, this girl sits on dad's shoulders.

Angled Emotion

A man picks up recycling in the city while a little girl pouts in the doorway behind him.

Framing the Street

Tucked into an alley in northern Seoul, graffiti hides as people walk past.

The Clown

A performer prepares to entertain children on Children's Day at Children's Grand Park in Seoul.

Yellow Dust Love

A couple gets intimate during yellow dust season in Myeongdong. "Yellow Dust" is the polluted air that drifts from the Gobi Desert, picking up coal pollution over the cities of China, to Korea.

Rock Reflection

Cape Disappointment, Washington

Launch Pad to the Universe

The Milky Way jetting up from the peaks at Colonial in the North Cascades, Washington

Watercolor Sky

The colors of sunset above Eastern Jeju Island, South Korea

The Race

Two shooting stars race across the night sky at Liberty Bell Peak, Washington

Mt. St. Helens

From Johnston Ridge

The Girl with the Mask

"Park Geun Hye resign" is written across her mask. She speaks loudly without noise in the crowd f nearly a million protesting the president of South Korea on 11/12

Monk in the Front

A million people took to the streets on 11/12 to protest the president in one of the largest protests in Korean history. Many religious leaders joined together to hold signs that read "Park Geun Hye resign"

Man with Candle

One of a million protesting the president of South Korea on 11/12, holding a candle for the vigil and marching to show his support of the president stepping down.

Helping Hands

These girls help this man light his candle as night falls over approximately a million people in the streets of downtown Seoul on 11/12.

Anti-Government DJ Spinning

A DJ spins music for the crowd of protesters on 11/12 as they march against the president of Korea.

A Family Marches

A family marches with candles during the protest on 11/12 that saw a million people spill into the streets of downtown Seoul.

Flying

Flying on the shoulders of her father, this girl had a VIP view of the million person protest against the president on 11/12

Spectacle

Overlooking the crowd in the square, a man surveys the scene. Lights, musicians, food stalls, and a million people peacefully protesting the president and chanting in waves, "Park Geun Hye resign".

Tiring Protest

A little girl yawns on her father's shoulders late into the night as they continue to march against the president.